Westwood keeps hopes alive
Four birdies in five holes brought Lee Westwood back into the hunt for a second European Order of Merit title at Valderrama on Saturday.
Needing to win the rain-hit Volvo Masters to have a chance of edging Robert Karlsson out of the number one spot, Westwood's hopes faded when his delayed second round began with three bogeys in the first seven holes.
But the Worksop golfer birdied the 350-yard eighth and then had three more at the start of the back nine. He was up into a tie for fourth on two under par, only three behind joint leaders Sergio Garcia and Soren Kjeldsen.
It was starting to develop into a battle between Westwood and Karlsson for the money list crown.
The Swede had his second successive 73 for four over, but remained ahead of both Padraig Harrington and Miguel Angel Jimenez, the only other players who can deny him the Harry Vardon Trophy.
Harrington, who requires a top two finish to have a chance of pipping the Swede, improved five strokes on his damaging opening 76, but was hoping for more than that.
Jimenez, meanwhile, had almost certainly fallen out of the race by dropping seven shots in four holes on Friday. Needing to win like Westwood, he handed in an 80 this morning to be down on 11 over.
